Russia offers Olympics help to India
Russia would be happy to help India in the event that it wins the right to host the Olympic Games, Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin has said. India is reportedly mulling a bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics.
Matytsin made the comments as he heads a Russian delegation in India at the International Convention Against Doping in Sport.
“We are of the opinion that the richness of any movement lies in diversity and equal opportunities for all participants in this movement, in this case the Olympic one,” Matytsin told RIA Sport.
“Of course, we are very happy for our colleagues from India that such a dream was born. A dream unites, it consolidates forces and demonstrates that the country has the potential not only in organizing sports competitions, because any sporting event is a complex of interaction between various structures, departments, business community...
“If such a dream as hosting the Olympic Games comes true, then this will be another criterion for the stable development of the country. We are always open to interaction and ready to share our experience of hosting the Olympic Games, and we have done this many times, so if a decision is made, then Russian specialists will be happy to help in organizing the Olympic Games in India.”
Most recently, Russia has experience of hosting the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. It also hosted another major global event in the form of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
India, which has never hosted the Olympics, had expressed interest in holding the 2032 Summer Games before it was awarded to Brisbane in Australia.
Reports in India have hinted at the 2036 Games as being the next target, potentially in the state of Gujarat.
It is still some way off for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to announce the hosts, with a decision expected sometime between 2025 and 2029. Countries including Egypt and Indonesia have also expressed an interest.
While Matytsin offered help to India, Russia itself has also floated the idea of hosting the 2036 Games in the far eastern city of Vladivostok.
Earlier during his visit to New Delhi, Matytsin touted increased bilateral cooperation with India, including by potentially popularizing cricket in Russia.
India is famous for its obsession with the sport, which by contrast remains relatively unknown and little played in Russia.
